1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of address display devices and more particularly to an address numbering system that is adaptable to any address.
2. Description of Related Art
Addresses appear on the side of buildings and houses, over garages, on curbs, and on mailboxes. However, many times it is very difficult for police or emergency vehicles to find a house, building, or apartment address because there is no adequate indication of the address that is visible, especially at night.
Prior art address display devices have all been directed to a certain fixed home address because they all contain fixed carved or cut-out numbers. Many prior art devices are lighted and even contain flashers. Some are solar powered, and some are powered from house power. An example of these prior art devices is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,753 issued to Harper. Harper teaches a frame for holding stylized numbers that are lighted from behind with lamps that can flash or remain on continuously. To change the address, a new stamped sheet must be produced.
Most prior art devices are lighted by lamps; however U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,190 issued to Shyu teaches the use of light emitting diode (LED) displays. However, Shyu places the LED""s behind a fixed cut-out with the address number. Thus, it is very difficult to change the address with Shyu""s device. It is necessary to open the housing and place another carved address plate to change the address.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,540 issued to Surman teaches a solar powered device that can attach to the side of a house or to a mailbox. Again, the numbers are cut out of a fixed panel.
What is badly needed is an address display device that can be seen day or night and can be easily changed to any address. The device can automatically adjust its brightness for ambient daylight or night conditions (or other ambient conditions such as fog). Such a device would be usable for emergencies or to display the home, apartment, or business address from a window or outdoors. Also what is needed is a way that police, firemen, or other emergency personnel can activate the address device if it is turned off.
The present invention relates to an improved address display device that can automatically adjust its light output intensity to ambient light conditions and that is readily changeable to any address. In general, it can change between a preset or predetermined dim level and a preset or predetermined bright level; however, the change can be continuous as well. It can be activated remotely by emergency personnel.
The present invention can use LED segment display numerals and letters, segment lamp tubes, a dot-matrix LED, electric bulbs or tubes, or any other display means to produce a display visible and readable to a person with normal vision at a distance exceeding 50 feet and preferably over 100 feet, both day and night.
The present invention can contain a photocell or other ambient light sensing device to automatically adjust intensity for various ambient conditions such as bright sunlight, night, fog, or other conditions. This photodetector can be recessed in a light tunnel to avoid changing brightness in the presence of glare, especially that caused by headlights. This is critical so that the display will not dim when an emergency vehicle turns into a driveway and glare from the headlights reaches the display. The photodetector can be optionally used to turn on the display by the beam of a headlight, a flashlight, a spotlight, or any other bright light.
The present invention can contain a circuit that allows immediate adjustment or change of the address. There are at least two embodiments of this feature: 1) the ability to set each digit with switches, and 2) a counter circuit that causes the address to count (like many clock setting circuits known in the art) when a certain button is depressed. The second embodiment can contain a slow/fast switch to control the counting speed. Any other means of setting or changing the address is also within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention can optionally contain a feature where it can be turned on remotely. It is not always desirable for the display to be on continuously. The present invention can be optionally turned on by either a bright light or by a radio signal. In one embodiment, the display can be turned on in the presence of a very bright light such as the spotlight from a police car or other emergency vehicle, a bright flashlight such as those used by the police, or by the headlights of a vehicle. Another embodiment of the invention can turn on the display on command by a radio signal from the emergency vehicle in a manner similar to a garage door opener. The preferred method is to turn on the display in the presence of a bright light, because this method is simpler and does not require any special radio equipment.
Either of these embodiments where the display is turned on by an emergency vehicle can be equipped with a timer that turns the display off again after a predetermined time delay. A preferred time delay would be around 5 minutes; however, this could be adjustable by the user, and any reasonable time delay would be within the scope of the invention.
The various embodiments of the present invention can be enhanced by mirrors, lenses or other devices known to increase visibility, or by causing the display to blink; however, these features are optional, and the present invention can totally function without them.